George c



(No Model.)

G. 0. HOLT.

LETTER OPENER. No. 337,680 Patented Mar. 9I 1886.

INVENTOR 54. a zwk L .ATTORN EYS 5. PETEns. Phnlo-Ulhographer. Washmglonnu;v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. HOLT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

LETTER-OPENER.

ESPECIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,680. dated March9. 1886.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. HOLT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPaper-Cutters and Letter-Openers; andI do declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention,such aswill enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Figure l of the'drawings is a representation of this invention, and is aperspective view. Fig. 2 is a top view of the blank of sheet metal. Fig.3 is a side view and shows the elongated depression made in the blank.Fig. 4 is a side view of the same bent into proper shape. Fig. 5 showsthe cutter-guide.

This invention relates to combined papercntters and letter-openers; andit consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, as willbe hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in theclaim.

Theobjects of the invention are to cut paper along the line where it hasbeen previously creased; and, also, to open sealed envelopes along oneside or end, so that the opened envelope may be preserved, if desired.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates a stripof sheet metal which in the blank is straight and fiat and has roundedends. The first step in forming the device from this strip of sheetmetal is to make an elongated depression therein ex- -tending from pointa to point I). This leaves two straight or plain portions, 0 d, at theends.

Application filed September 21, 1885. Serial No. 177,756.

(No model.)

space,e. appears fora distance of about one-half 5 the length of thedevice, and a largerspat-e, f, appears for the remaining portion betweenthe blades 9 h of the cutter. The cutterguide 2' is composed of a pieceof wire bent in the form of an ordinary hair-pin, the two arms of whichare soldered or otherwise secured within the smaller space e,just withinthe edge lines of the plate. This cutter guide projects some littledistance beyond the ends of the cutter-blades,and serves as a guide bothwhile the device is in use in cutting paper and in opening letters.

To use the device as a paper-cutter, first crease the paper where it isdesigned to be out, and hold the paper in the left hand and the cutterin the right hand, with the blade at a slant or angle to the crease, andpush the cutter gently along the crease.

To open a letter, place the blade under the flap of the letter and pushthe device through.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The combination, with the blades 9 I2, composed of asingle piece ofmaterial, of the wire cutter-guide secured between them and projectingbeyond them, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE C. HOLT.

Witnesses:

LORENZO LAMB, CHARLES E. SHELTON.

